Notre Dame will not be part of the 12-team College Football Playoff despite putting together a 10-2 year and appearing to be one of the better teams in the country. The Fighting Irish were perhaps blindsided to not see their name on the bracket during Sunday’s big reveal, watching from afar as the selection committee walked away more impressed by both Alabama and Miami. As a result they won’t be part of any postseason football as the school has opted to not play in a bowl game after the snub.
Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua quickly let it be known that he believes any rankings before the final one are a farce and waste of time, strong yet predictable words from someone who represents a team that seemed comfortably in the field before being jumped by another team that was idle this past weekend.
Bevacqua joined the Dan Patrick Show on Monday to offer further commentary and also took aim at the rankings process. And to clear up the idea that he or anyone else at Notre Dame has a problem with Pop-Tarts, one of the season’s bowl sponsors.
“The rankings can’t just be musical chairs at some fifth grade birthday party,” Bevacqua said. “They have to mean something. And to me, what happened to us really kind of was alarming.”
“The rankings can’t just be musical chairs at some fifth-grade birthday party. They need to mean something.” – Pete Bevacqua
Also notes he actually loves Pop-Tarts, particularly the brown sugar flavor.
“Nothing against Pop-Tarts”
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) December 8, 2025
That’s a funny line but it’s clear the sting of being left out is going to linger.
He also took a shot at the ACC:
“We were mystified by the actions of the conference… They have certainly done permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame.”
“We were mystified by the actions of the conference… They have certainly done permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame.”
– Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua on their relationship with the ACC. pic.twitter.com/uvpWqrU8PM
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) December 8, 2025
Notre Dame is polarizing and its decision is controversial. There are a lot of people who are accusing them of taking their ball and going home but if you made this a nameless team that was suddenly leapfrogged on a bye week, it’s pretty understandable why they are so upset.
But yeah, let’s leave delicious, sugary breakfast food out of the conversation.
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